Police disperse pro-Palestinian student demonstration at Sorbonne in France
On Monday, French police dispersed a student demonstration calling for an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza at a renowned university in the country, as reported by an AFP journalist.
Dozens of demonstrators were asked to leave the Sorbonne in Paris by law enforcement after they had set up tents inside the premises.
“Remi, a 20-year-old history and geography student who participated in the sit-in, noted that there were about 50 of us in the courtyard when the law enforcement forces arrived in a hurry.”
“The evacuation was quite brutal with around 10 people dragged on the ground but no arrests,” said Remi, who did not give his surname for fear of reprisals.
Education authorities earlier said the students had set up 12 tents in the courtyard and hallway of the university, causing exams to be cancelled. One student said they had set up more than 20.
The university said it was closing as no one had been able to enter the university since noon.
Outside the campus, around 150 people had been protesting.
“Gaza, Sorbonne is with you,” some chanted holding a huge Palestinian flag.
“Israel murderer,” cried others.
“We’re here following the call from students at Harvard and Columbia,” said Sorbonne student and activist Lorelia Frejo, referring to similar pro-Palestinian sit-ins in the United States.
The protest at the Sorbonne comes after several such demonstrations at Sciences Po Paris, also one of France’s most prestigious universities.
Police cleared a protest at Sciences Po early on Thursday.
But protesters maintained their sit-in the next day before university management agreed to soon hold an internal debate including on the right to protest.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 34,488 people, according to the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry.
A Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel estimates that 129 hostages seized on 7 October, out of the 253 taken, are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.
